Randomness As a Tool to Produce More Women Leaders

Further fodder for using randomness to make choices that are traditionally made by other, judgment-based methods: “Women have to enter the leadership race to win: Using random selection to increase the supply of women into senior positions,” Amanda H. Goodall [pictured here] and Margit Osterloh, 2015. The authors, at Cass Business School, City University, London and the University […]

Reinforcing stereotypes: Are men more mechanically adept? [with condoms]

This study stands to reinforce several stereotypes, one of which deals with women’s vs. men’s mechanical abilities: “Condoms are more effective when applied by males: a study of young black males in the United States,” Richard A. Crosby [pictured here], et al., Annals of Epidemiology, vol. 24, 2014, pp 868-70. The authors, at the University […]

A reported discovery about smiling women

The expression on a person’s face might sometimes affect other persons’ perceptions of that person. So suggests this study: “Forming Impressions: Effects of Facial Expression and Gender Stereotypes,” Tay Hack, Psychological Reports, vol. 114, no. 2, 2014, pp. 1-15. The author, at Angelo State University, writes: “In conclusion, the present research adds to existing knowledge […]

Small study suggests suggesting that if women quit smoking, they will think they get bigger breasts

This tiny Italian study examined the gently-directed breast-centric introspection of a few women who had recently quit smoking. The study is: “Breast change perception in women after smoking cessation. A pilot study,” Cinzia De Marco, Giovanni Invernizzi, Rosalba Miceli, Luigi Mariani, Anna Villarini, Elena Munarini, Roberto Mazza, and Roberto Boffi [pictured below], Tumori, vol. 97, no. 5, pp. 672-675. […]

Improbable Research